Device and Method for Cleaning a Filter Cloth

ABSTRACT

A rotary disc filter device comprises a rotary drum and a plurality of disc-shaped filter members secured about the drum. Each disc-shaped filter member has a filtering material disposed on the outside thereof. A guide bar extends longitudinally across the disc-shaped filter members and has a movable carriage mounted thereon. One or more nozzles are operatively connected to the carriage for delivering cleaning fluid onto the filtering materials. The guide bar is rotates between a cleaning position and an adjustment position. When the guide bar is in the cleaning position, the nozzle is disposed adjacent to one of the disc-shaped filter members such that the nozzle is positioned to deliver cleaning fluid onto the filtering material. When the guide bar is in the adjustment position, the carriage is movable along the guide bar without interference from the disc-shaped filter members.

This application is a U.S. National Stage Application of PCT ApplicationNo. PCT/SE2008/000140, with an international filing date of 21 Feb.2008. Applicant claims priority based on European Application No.07102789.0 filed 21, Feb. 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for cleaning a filter cloth ina filter, said device comprising a flushing ramp, on which at least onespray nozzle is arranged, said spray nozzle being arranged to spray acleaning fluid onto the filter cloth in a direction opposite a filteringdirection. The invention also relates to a method of cleaning a filtercloth in a filter.

BACKGROUND ART

Filtering devices, for instance rotary disc filters, are used especiallyfor filtering off particles from liquids.

A common rotary disc filter is disclosed, for instance, in SE-C-224 131and the principle thereof is illustrated in FIG. 1. The rotary discfilter 1 comprises a horizontal, slowly rotating drum 11, which supportsa number of parallel, disc-shaped filter elements 12 which aresuccessively arranged in spaced-apart relationship along the centre axisof the drum and which extend radially away from the drum. The filterelements 12 have on their opposite lateral surfaces relatively largeopenings which are covered with a filter cloth 13. The drum has a numberof openings through which the liquid A which is to be filtered can flowto the interior of the filter elements 12. The filtering liquid A isconducted through an inlet into the drum 11 and then falls down to theinterior of the filter elements 12, from which the liquid A continuesout through the filter cloth 13 so that the particles which are to befiltered off adhere to the inside of the filter cloth.

The rotary disc filter 1 can be cleaned by backwashing by means of acleaning device of the type described, for instance, in SE-C-515 001 (WO00/37159). This filter cleaning device is provided with spray nozzles 14which are mounted on a plurality of fixed flush tubes 15, which projectbetween the disc-shaped filter elements 12. The flush tubes 15 areadapted to conduct flushing liquid to the spray nozzles 14 and areconnected to an elongate liquid-conducting tube 16 which extendsparallel to the centre axis of the drum. The spray nozzles 14 sprayliquid onto the filter cloth 13 axially from outside, in a directionopposite the filtering direction and flushed-off particles are collectedin a discharge chute 17 which is placed inside the drum 11 in the upperportion thereof.

This known cleaning device may also be used in drum filters. An exampleof a prior art drum filter is shown in FIG. 6. The drum filter 101 has adrum 113, which is rotatably arranged about the centre axis C of thedrum filter 101. The drum filter shown in FIG. 6 has a cleaning device110 with spray nozzles arranged on a fixedly arranged flush tube.

The backwashing or cleaning of the rotary disc filter or drum filteroccurs continuously or intermittently and, as a rule, at a relativelylow pressure in the range of 6-8 bar.

Despite the backwashing, the filter cloth of rotary disc filters anddrum filters has, however, a tendency to clog after some time of use dueto deposition of sludge. The clogging of the filter cloth deterioratesthe capacity and the degree of efficiency of the filter. As a result,supplementary cleaning is required after some time of use, for exampleonce a day or at other intervals depending on the load to which thefilter is subjected.

In some cases, the filter cloth may become “striped” due to insufficientcleaning of certain filter portions.

To increase the cleaning effect, chemical cleaning agents can be used inbackwashing, but this is disadvantageous in terms of environment andworking environment.

For the purpose of again increasing the filtering capacity of the filterafter clogging, manual high pressure cleaning can be performed with aliquid that has a pressure of at least 50 bar. However, manual cleaningis difficult and time consuming. To allow manual cleaning, it is forpractical reasons necessary to have a certain free space in the filterinstallation around each filter and sometimes also ramps and scaffoldsso that a person who is to clean the filter cloth using, for example, ahand-held high pressure cleaning device reaches the filter and can walkaround the filter. This makes the construction of such a rotary discfilter installation expensive and results in a need for a larger space.

WO 03/004131 discloses a cleaning device for rotary disc filters, whichcomprises a plurality of nozzles connected to a plurality of flush tubesand valves, in which each nozzle is intended for spraying fluid at a lowor high pressure onto a disc-shaped filter element. The spray nozzlescan be rotated in a swinging motion relative to the filter elements. Adrawback of this cleaning device is that it requires a powerful and,thus, expensive high pressure pump to supply a fluid pressure thatovercomes the losses in the many throttlings and the long tube lengthsof the large number of tubes and nozzles for the fluid that is finallysprayed out of the nozzles to have a pressure that is sufficiently highfor cleaning.

For satisfactory cleaning of the filter cloth, a plurality of highpressure spray nozzles are according to this prior art solution arrangedvery close to each other, which makes the filtering device considerablymore expensive and complex. It would therefore be desirable to simplifythe cleaning of rotary disc filters by high pressure and make suchcleaning less expensive.

Moreover it would be desirable for reasons of environment and cost toreduce the consumption of cleaning liquid, chemicals and power. It wouldalso be desirable to reduce the amount of peripheral equipment requiredfor cleaning and to simplify the maintenance of the cleaning equipmentby reducing the number of components of the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to suggest a solution to the aboveproblems by providing an improved device and an improved method forcleaning a rotary disc filter.

A specific object is to provide a cleaning device which results inreduced use of power compared with prior art cleaning devices and whichdoes not require particularly powerful pumps.

Another object is to provide a cleaning device which enablesregeneration of a rotary disc filter without using chemicals.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method which enablesenergy-efficient cleaning of filters.

According to the invention, these objects are achieved by a device and amethod for cleaning a filter of the type stated by way of introduction.

The device according to the invention for cleaning of filters comprisesthe features that are stated in claim 1, with preferred embodiments inthe dependent claims.

The method according to the invention for cleaning of filters comprisesthe features that are stated in claim 15, with preferred embodiments inthe dependent claims.

In the inventive cleaning device, the flushing ramp has a driving devicefor moving the flushing ramp along the longitudinal direction of thefilter during cleaning. In this manner, use can be made of a flushingramp with only one or a pair of spray nozzles for cleaning of the entirefilter since the flushing ramp can be moved from along the filter. As aresult, the necessary pipe lengths and, thus, the pressure losses arereduced, and therefore the pump used need not be very powerful.

The cleaning device may be used for a rotary disc filter, wherein thefilter cloth is arranged on disc shaped filter elements which arearranged side by side along the longitudinal direction of the rotarydisc filter and rotatably arranged about a centre axis of the rotarydisc filter.

Alternatively, the cleaning device may be used for a drum filter,wherein the filter cloth is arranged on a drum which is arranged in thelongitudinal direction of the drum filter and rotatably arranged about acentre axis of the drum filter.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said at least onespray nozzle is a high pressure spray nozzle arranged to spray thecleaning fluid at a pressure of at least 15 bar. This pressure makes itpossible to perform excellent rough cleaning of the filter.

The driving device can be arranged to move the flushing ramp step bystep along the longitudinal direction of the filter. As a result, theflushing ramp can be moved to a portion of the filter and flush it cleanand then be moved to the next portion of the filter.

The driving device is advantageously arranged to move said at least onespray nozzle along a disc-shaped filter element in a radial directionrelative to the disc-shaped filter element. Thus, the entire filtercloth on one side of the disc-shaped filter element can be effectivelycleaned.

In one embodiment, the driving device is arranged to move said at leastone spray nozzle step by step along a disc-shaped filter element in aradial direction relative to the disc-shaped filter element. By movingthe spray nozzle step by step the disc-shaped filter element can rotateone revolution while the spray nozzle stands still, thus cleaning theentire revolution.

The flushing ramp can be non-rotatably and movably arranged on anelongate guide means along the longitudinal direction of the filter. Inthis way, the movement of the flushing ramp in the longitudinaldirection of the rotary disc filter can be provided in a mechanicallysimple manner.

The elongate guide means is advantageously pivotally arranged about anaxis parallel to the centre axis of the rotary disc filter, whereby theradial movement of the spray nozzle can easily be performed.

The driving device may comprise a loop-shaped drive for performingstep-by-step movement of the flushing ramp along the longitudinaldirection of the filter. This is a mechanically simple way of providingthe longitudinal movement.

In a preferred embodiment, two spray nozzles are arranged on theflushing ramp. In this manner, two filter cloth surfaces can be cleanedsimultaneously.

The two spray nozzles are advantageously arranged to be introduced,during cleaning, on both sides of a disc-shaped filter element and spraycleaning fluid onto the filter cloth on one side each of the disc-shapedfilter element. Thus, both sides of the filter element are cleanedsimultaneously, which is particularly effective since the jets ofcleaning fluid can then intersect.

Alternatively, the two spray nozzles can be arranged to be introduced,during cleaning, on both sides of a first disc-shaped filter element andeach spray cleaning fluid onto the filter cloth of an associatedneighbouring disc-shaped filter element on both sides of the firstdisc-shaped filter element.

In an alternative embodiment, a spray nozzle is arranged on the flushingramp, said spray nozzle being rotatably mounted to be introduced, duringcleaning, between a first and a second disc-shaped filter element andspray cleaning fluid first onto the first disc-shaped filter element andthen onto the second disc-shaped filter element. With only one spraynozzle, it will thus be possible to clean both sides of a filterelement.

In the inventive method of cleaning a filter cloth in a filter, theflushing ramp is moved along the longitudinal direction of the filterduring cleaning. This method makes it possible to effectively clean afilter with a reduced pipe length and reduced pump capacity compared toprior art methods.

The cleaning device may be used for a rotary disc filter, wherein thefilter cloth is arranged on disc shaped filter elements which arearranged side by side along the longitudinal direction of the rotarydisc filter and rotatably arranged about a centre axis of the rotarydisc filter.

Alternatively, the cleaning device may be used for a drum filter,wherein the filter cloth is arranged on a drum which is arranged in thelongitudinal direction of the drum filter and rotatably arranged about acentre axis of the drum filter.

In a preferred variant of the method, said at least one spray nozzlesprays the cleaning fluid at a pressure of at least 15 bar. The highpressure makes it possible to perform good rough cleaning of the filter,and besides the consumption of cleaning fluid is reduced.

The flushing ramp is advantageously moved step by step along thelongitudinal direction of the filter. As a result, a portion of thefilter can be cleaned and the flushing ramp then be moved further forcleaning of the other filter portions.

The flushing ramp can be moved one step for each disc-shaped element.This makes it possible to clean one filter element at a time.

Said at least one spray nozzle is advantageously moved along adisc-shaped filter element in a radial direction relative to thedisc-shaped element, which makes it possible to effectively clean theentire filter cloth on one side of the filter element.

In a preferred variant of the method, the spray nozzle is moved step bystep in the radial direction. In this manner, the filter element canrotate while the spray nozzle stands still, so that the filter cloth canbe cleaned effectively, without necessitating complicated movements ofthe spray nozzle.

In a variant of the method, the spray nozzle is moved step by step inthe radial direction in such a manner that the disc-shaped elementrotates one revolution while said at least one spray nozzle standsstill. As a result, the entire revolution can be effectively cleaned.

The filter cloth on both sides of one and the same disc-shaped filterelement is preferably sprayed with the cleaning fluid simultaneously.This results in particularly effective cleaning since the jets from thetwo nozzles intersect.

Alternatively, the filter cloth on opposite sides of two neighbouringdisc-shaped filter elements can be sprayed with cleaning fluidsimultaneously.

According to another alternative, first the filter cloth on a first sideof a disc-shaped filter element is sprayed with the cleaning fluid, and,after that, the filter cloth on a second side of the disc-shaped filterelement. In this way, a cleaning device with only one spray nozzle canbe used for cleaning both sides of the filter elements of the rotarydisc filter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will in the following be described in more detail withreference to the accompanying drawings which by way of exampleillustrate preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view which schematically illustrates theprinciple of a rotary disc filter according to prior art.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a rotary disc filter, in which a cleaningdevice according to the invention is shown.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the cleaning device in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partial view on a larger scale of the cleaning device shownin FIG. 2 seen in the longitudinal direction of the rotary disc filter.

FIG. 5 is an end view illustrating two different angle positions of thecleaning device according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view which schematically illustrates theprinciple of a drum filter according to prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A rotary disc filter cleaning device 19 according to the invention isillustrated in FIGS. 2-5. The cleaning device 19 is intended for roughcleaning of a rotary disc filter 1 with a cleaning liquid, preferablywater, which is flushed or sprayed under high pressure, that is apressure of at least 15 bar, onto the rotary disc filter for removal ofdeposited sludge. The pressure is preferably 15-200 bar, most preferred60-100 bar.

In a first embodiment of the rotary disc filter cleaning device 19according to the invention, it comprises two high pressure spray nozzles21 which are fixedly mounted on a high pressure flush tube 22 each. Theflush tubes 22 are in turn fixedly connected to the high pressureflushing ramp 20 and extend in a plane substantially perpendicular tothe axis of rotation C of the drum. Cleaning according to the inventionoccurs by a method in steps by moving the high pressure flushing ramp 20with its spray nozzles 21 along the length of the rotary disc filterstep by step during cleaning of the disc-shaped filter elements 12 ofthe rotary disc filter 1.

The rotary disc filter 1 that is to be cleaned by the cleaning device 19is made up in prior art manner with disc-shaped filter elements 12 orfilter discs with filter cloth 13 which on the outside of the rotarydisc filter drum 11 extends outwards in the transverse direction of thedrum 11. The rotary discs 21 are spaced from each other along theirentire filter cloth surface so as not to collide with each other andassociated parts of the cleaning device 12 during their rotation. Thebasic function of a rotary disc filter of this type is illustrated inFIG. 1. The liquid A to be filtered is passed through an inlet to theinterior of the drum 11. From the interior of the drum 11, the filteringliquid A is passed out through openings in the circumferential surfaceof the drum 11 to the interior of the filter discs 12. From there thefiltering liquid A is then passed in a filtering direction out throughthe filter cloth 13. Particles in the filtering liquid A adhere to theinside of the filter cloth 13.

The normal backwashing of the filter cloth 13 of the filter discs 12 isperformed by means of the cleaning device 10 in FIG. 1, in most casesseveral times a day. After use for some time, for instance a day or aweek, it is, however, necessary to perform more powerful cleaning, andthis rough cleaning is done using the inventive cleaning device.

In cleaning with the inventive cleaning device 19, the filter cloth ofthe rotary disc filter is cleaned by the high pressure flushing ramp 20by the two opposite spray nozzles 21 being inserted each into a gapbetween two filter discs 12 on both sides of a filter disc 12. In thisway, one filter disc 12 at a time is cleaned by water being sprayed ontothe filter cloth 13 on each side of the filter disc 12.

The high pressure flush tubes 22 are adapted to conduct the flushingliquid to the spray nozzles 21 and are connected to a common, elongate,liquid-conducting conduit or flexible hose 25. Flushing liquid issupplied to the high pressure flush tubes 22 by means of a high pressurespray pump 24.

The hose 25 can be helically wound to provide flexibility. The hose 25extends substantially parallel to the centre axis C of the drum and issupplied with liquid by the high pressure pump 24.

The high pressure spray nozzles 21 are fixedly mounted at a free end ofa high pressure flush tube 22 each, each tube being, at its other end,mounted on the high pressure flushing ramp 20, which is arrangedadjacent to the rotary disc filter 1 outside the disc-shaped filterelements 12. The high pressure flushing ramp 20 is non-rotatably butlinearly movable along an elongate guide means 40 extending parallel tothe centre axis C of the drum. The guide means 40 can have the shape ofa square rod extending along the rotary disc filter 1.

The cleaning device 19 has a driving device 30 which moves the highpressure flushing ramp 20 along the rotary disc filter 1 step by step,that is one step for each disc-shaped filter element 12 by means of anendless loop-shaped drive in the form of a belt 31. The belt 31 extendssubstantially along the entire length of the guide means and round thecircumferential surfaces of terminal wheels 32, 33 for engagement ofthese at each end of the guide means 40. The driving device 30 has acontrol unit (not shown) which synchronises the reciprocating movementof the flushing ramp 20 and the movement of each spray nozzle 21 alongthe filter cloth 13 with the need for such cleaning. This means that thecontrol unit starts cleaning if the filtering capacity of the filter 1has fallen below a predetermined value or after a certain time ofoperation of the filter, for instance a day, a week, a month or ashorter or longer time. The high pressure cleaning according to theinvention can be controlled in a desirable manner and automatically and,thus, be performed in any desirable way, also irregularly, which meansthat the filter 1 need not be checked optically or manually for degreeof dirtiness. Unnecessary cleaning of the same filter element 12 or thesame parts of the filter cloth 13 by means of a high pressure spraynozzle 21 is also prevented. This also means that the filter cloth 13 issubjected to direct flushing by a high pressure spray nozzle 21 onlywhen needed and not arbitrarily, whereby the filter cloth will be wornto a lesser extent.

The belt 31 is in meshing engagement by means of fixed fastening points34 in the form of grooves or notches on the outside of the high pressureflushing ramp 20, and is in engagement with a belt terminal drivingwheel 22 which is non-rotatably connected to the driving device 30. Thepositive drive belt 31 transfers the rotation of the belt driving wheel32 performed by the driving device to a simultaneous linear movement ofthe high pressure flushing ramp between the ends of the guide means 40.The second belt terminal wheel 32 functions as a tensioning wheel tokeep the belt tensioned. The belt 31 and the belt wheels 32, 33 can bein engagement with each other by force or form fitting, for instance byfriction, cogs or teeth. In this embodiment, the belt 31 is a positivedrive belt and the wheels 32, 33 positive drive belt wheels. Thepositive drive belt 31 is, as already mentioned, in engagement with theflushing ramp 20, whose movement is performed by a slide 26 which isconnected to the flushing ramp and movable along the rotary disc filter1 on the guide means 40 and which is part of the flushing ramp. Theloop-shaped drive thus performs, together with, inter alia, the slide, asimple, inexpensive, robust and reliable transfer of movement for theflushing ramp along the rotary disc filter.

The guide means 40 extends through the flushing ramp 20 and its ends arepivotally or rotatably suspended, each end positioned at a correspondingrotary disc filter end. The guide means 40 is thus, together with thehigh pressure flushing ramp 20, pivotable about its longitudinal axis,which is an axis of rotation that is parallel to the centre axis C ofthe rotary disc filter. This means that the flushing ramp 20 can berotated in a plane substantially perpendicular to the centre axis C ofthe rotary disc filter. This rotation can take place by means of arotating device in the form of an actuator 41 with a piston that tiltsthe pump 24 and the guide means 40. In this way the flushing ramp 20moves in a tangential direction relative to the filter discs. Thistangential movement causes the spray nozzles 21 to move substantiallyradially R along the filter discs 12. The movement of the guide means40, and thus the spray nozzles 21, occurs step by step, so that thespray nozzles stand still for a moment while they spray water onto thefilter cloth 13 of the filter disc 12. The spray nozzles 21 stand stillfor so long that the filter disc 12 has time to rotate one revolution.In this manner, the filter cloth 13 of the filter disc 12 is cleanedduring the entire revolution. After one revolution of cleaning, theactuator 41 tilts the guide means 40 a little further so that the spraynozzles 21 reach a new revolution of the filter cloth 13. Thestep-by-step movement occurs so that the spray nozzles 21 are moved froman outermost radius of the filter disc 12 to an innermost radius. Themovement of the spray nozzles 12 can, of course, also be made in reverseorder so that during cleaning they move from inside out. The filtercloth 13 of the entire filter disc 12 is cleaned step by step, and thenthe actuator 41 again raises the guide means 40 so that the spraynozzles 21 are moved outside the filter discs 12. Subsequently theflushing ramp 20 is moved one step in the longitudinal direction L tothe next filter disc 12, and cleaning of this filter disc 12 takesplace.

In the embodiment described above, the spray nozzles 21 are oriented intwo different directions inward towards each other and towards the samefilter disc 12 for cleaning thereof. This also means that their outletsopen just opposite each other and in pairs inward towards each other andthe filter disc 12, so that opposing filter cloth lateral surfaces of afilter disc 12 are subjected to spraying at the same time from twodifferent directions with cleaning liquid during cleaning of the samefilter disc 12. With the spray nozzles 21 facing each other, the jets ofcleaning liquid can besides be made to intersect, which additionallyrenders cleaning more effective.

In a second embodiment (not shown), the spray nozzles are facing awayfrom each other instead of facing each other like in the firstembodiment. With this construction, the filter cloth is instead cleanedon one side of two different filter discs at a time. In the same way asbefore, the spray nozzles are inserted between the filter discs andmoved step by step along the surface of the filter discs. Since thespray nozzles are facing away from each other, they spray water onto theopposite sides of the two neighbouring filter discs.

In a third embodiment (not shown) of the rotary disc filter cleaningdevice according to the invention, it comprises only one high pressurespray nozzle which is fixedly mounted on a high pressure flush tube,which in turn is rotatably connected to the flushing ramp. The flushtube can be connected to the flushing ramp by means of a swivel toprovide the rotatability. Alternatively, the flush tube can be fixedlyconnected to the flushing ramp, while the spray nozzle is rotatablyconnected to the flush tube, for example by means of a swivel. With thisconstruction, the number of components of the cleaning device is kept ata minimum, but nevertheless it will be possible to clean both sides ofall filter discs. The spray nozzle first sprays cleaning liquid onto oneside of one filter disc and is then rotated to spray cleaning liquidonto the opposite side of the next filter disc. Subsequently theflushing ramp is moved in the same way as stated above to the next gapbetween two filter discs. A drawback of this construction is, however,that the time required for cleaning is doubled compared with the firsttwo embodiments, since only one side of the filter discs is cleaned at atime.

The cleaning device 19 can be mounted when manufacturing a rotary discfilter, but it can also be mounted in an existing rotary disc filter.

It will be appreciated that a large number of modifications of theembodiments of the invention described above are conceivable within thescope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

For example, the flushing ramp could be provided with four flush tubes,each having one spray nozzle, so that two filter elements can be cleanedat the same time. This increases in fact the tube lengths and, thus, therequired pump capacity, but not at all to the level that is necessaryfor prior art cleaning devices with two spray nozzles for each filterelement.

Instead of moving the spray nozzles step by step, they could be made toswing continuously up and down, although the stepwise movement ispreferred.

The actuator 41 which is used to tilt the guide means 40 can be replacedby, for example, a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, or any othersuitable means.

Another embodiment of the cleaning device described above may be usedfor cleaning drum filters of the type shown in FIG. 6. Just as whencleaning a rotary disc filter, the flushing ramp is moved along thelongitudinal direction L of the drum filter 101, cleaning a portion ofthe filter cloth 113 at a time. However, the cleaning device may besimplified when used for drum filters 101, since there is no need forthe radial movement of the spray nozzles. Cleaning of a completerevolution of the drum 111 is instead ensured by rotating the drum 111.Further, the spray nozzles may be arranged directly on the flushingramp, without the need for the flush tubes.

The inventive cleaning device and cleaning method are above all intendedfor periodic rough cleaning of a filter and therefore advantageously usea relatively high pressure. However, the invention can also be used forordinary backwashing of a filter and then preferably uses a somewhatlower pressure.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A rotary disc filter device comprising: a. a rotarydrum having an inlet for receiving liquid to be filtered; b. a pluralityof disc-shaped filter members secured about the drum and extendingoutwardly therefrom, each disc-shaped filter member being rotatable withthe drum about an axis of rotation; c. each disc-shaped filter memberhaving a filtering material disposed on the outside thereof; d. a guidebar disposed adjacent to the disc-shaped filter members and outside ofthe rotary drum, the guide bar extending longitudinally across thedisc-shaped filter members in a direction generally parallel to the axisof rotation; e. a carriage mounted on the guide bar and movable back andforth along the guide bar; f. one or more nozzles operatively connectedto the carriage for delivering cleaning fluid onto the filteringmaterials and cleaning the filtering materials; h. a drive for drivingthe carriage along the guide bar; g. a pump operatively connected to thenozzle for delivering cleaning fluid to the nozzle; i. wherein the guidebar is rotatably mounted adjacent to the disc-shaped filter members suchthat the guide bar rotates between a cleaning position and an adjustmentposition; j. wherein when the guide bar is in the cleaning position, thenozzle is disposed adjacent to one of the disc-shaped filter memberssuch that the nozzle is positioned to deliver cleaning fluid onto thefiltering material; and k. wherein when the guide bar is in theadjustment position, the carriage and the nozzle are movable along theguide bar without interference from the disc-shaped filter members. 22.The rotary disc filter device of claim 21 wherein the rotary disc filterdevice includes two nozzles and wherein when the guide bar is in thecleaning position, each nozzle is positioned on either side of one ofthe disc-shaped filter members such that the cleaning fluid is deliveredonto both sides of the filtering material disposed on the outside of thedisc-shaped filter member.
 23. The rotary disc filter device of claim 21wherein in each nozzle is operatively connected to an elongate arm, andwherein the elongate arm operatively connects the carriage and thenozzle.
 24. The rotary disc filter device of claim 23 further comprisinga hose operatively connecting the pump to the elongate arm fordelivering cleaning fluid to the nozzle, at least a portion of the hoseextending substantially parallel to the axis of rotation.
 25. The rotarydisc filter device of claim 21 wherein the drive for driving thecarriage includes an endless belt extending adjacent the guide bar. 26.The rotary disc filter device of claim 23 wherein the filtering materialhas a capacity for filtering liquid and the rotary disc filter devicefurther includes a control unit that regulates the delivery of cleaningfluid from the pump to the nozzle so that cleaning fluid is delivered tothe nozzle if the capacity of the filtering material has fallen below apredetermined value.
 27. The rotary disc filter device of claim 21further including a control unit that regulates the delivery of cleaningfluid from the pump to the nozzle so that cleaning fluid is delivered tothe nozzle after a specified period of time.
 28. The rotary disc filterdevice of claim 21 wherein the pump is rotatable with the guide barbetween the cleaning position and the adjustment position.
 29. Therotary disc filter device of claim 21 wherein the nozzle sprays cleaningfluid onto the filtering materials at a pressure of at least 15 bar. 30.The rotary disc filter device of claim 21 wherein when the guide bar isin both the cleaning and the adjustment positions, the one or morenozzles extend in a plane generally perpendicular to the axis ofrotation.
 31. The rotary disc filter device of claim 21 wherein therotary disc filter device includes two nozzles and wherein when theguide bar is in the cleaning position, each nozzle is disposed on eitherside of a first disc-shaped filter member and positioned such that thenozzles deliver cleaning fluid onto the filtering materials of thedisc-shaped filter members disposed on either side of the firstdisc-shaped filter member.
 32. The rotary disc filter device of claim 25wherein the belt is trained around two opposing pulleys.
 33. A method ofcleaning filtering materials disposed on disc-shaped filter members of arotary disc filter, the method comprising: a. incrementally moving acarriage along a guide bar extending across the disc-shaped filtermembers, such that the carriage moves in a direction generally parallelto an axis of rotation of the disc-shaped filter members, whereinincrementally moving the carriage comprises stopping the carriageadjacent to a first disc-shaped filter member before moving the carriageadjacent to the second adjacent disc-shaped filter member; b. while thecarriage is stopped adjacent to the first disc-shaped filter member,rotating the guide bar relative to the disc-shaped filter members froman adjustment position to a cleaning position, wherein in the cleaningposition, a nozzle operatively connected to the carriage is positionedto deliver cleaning fluid onto the filtering material of one of thedisc-shaped filter members; c. pumping cleaning fluid from a pump to thenozzle and spraying the cleaning fluid from the nozzle onto thefiltering material; d. after spraying the filtering material, rotatingthe guide bar relative to the disc-shaped filter members from thecleaning position to the adjustment position, wherein in the adjustmentposition, the carriage and the nozzle are movable along the guide barwithout interference from the disc-shaped filter members; and e. movingthe carriage along the guide bar and stopping the carriage adjacent tothe second adjacent disc-shaped filter member and rotating the guide barrelative to the disc-shaped filter members from the adjustment positionto the cleaning position.
 34. The method of claim 33 wherein sprayingthe cleaning fluid from the nozzle onto the filtering material furthercomprises spraying the cleaning fluid while the disc-shaped filtermember associated with the filtering material rotates.
 35. The method ofclaim 33 wherein two nozzles are operatively connected to the carriageand wherein rotating the guide bar to the cleaning position while thecarriage is stopped adjacent to the first disc-shaped filter memberfurther comprises positioning the two nozzles such that each nozzlesprays cleaning fluid onto opposite sides of the filtering material ofthe first disc-shaped filter member simultaneously.
 36. The method ofclaim 33 wherein two nozzles are operatively connected to the carriageand wherein rotating the guide bar to the cleaning position while thecarriage is stopped adjacent to the first disc-shaped filter memberfurther comprises positioning the two nozzles such that the nozzlesspray cleaning fluid onto filtering materials of adjacent disc-shapedfilter members simultaneously.
 37. The method of claim 33 wherein afterspraying the cleaning fluid from the nozzle onto the filtering materialof the first disc-shaped filtering member and before rotating the guidebar from the cleaning position to the adjustment position, the methodfurther comprises rotating the guide bar to a position disposed closerto a center of the first disc-shaped filter member and spraying thecleaning fluid from the nozzle onto the filtering material.
 38. A rotarydisc filter device comprising: a. a rotary drum having an inlet forreceiving liquid to be filtered; b. a plurality of disc-shaped filtermembers secured about the drum and extending outwardly therefrom, eachdisc-shaped filter member being rotatable with the drum, and wherein thedisc-shaped filter members define an outer perimeter; c. eachdisc-shaped filter member having a filtering material disposed on theoutside thereof; d. a support structure disposed adjacent to thedisc-shaped filter members and disposed outside of the outer perimeter,the support structure extending longitudinally across the disc-shapedfilter members; e. a carriage mounted on the support structure andmovable back and forth along the support structure; f. one or morenozzles supported by the carriage for delivering cleaning fluid onto thefiltering materials of the disc-shaped filter members; g. a pumpoperatively connected to the nozzle for delivering cleaning fluid to thenozzle; h. means for rotatably moving the nozzle from a position outsidethe outer perimeter of the disc-shaped filter members to a positioninside of the outer perimeter of the disc-shaped filter members; and i.means for incrementally moving the carriage along the support structure.39. The rotary disc filter device of claim 38 wherein the means forrotatably moving the nozzle comprises an actuator operatively connectedto the support structure and disposed adjacent an end portion of therotary disc filter device.
 40. The rotary disc filter device of claim 39wherein the actuator includes a pneumatic cylinder.
 41. The rotary discfilter device of claim 39 wherein the actuator includes a hydrauliccylinder.